Lepechinia fragrans
Aromatic, sculptural, and seriously underused, Lepechinia fragrans is a California-native shrub with the kind of quiet presence that steals the show. Soft, gray-green felted leaves release a heady, sage-like fragrance the moment they're brushed, while slender stems carry long parades of pale lavender to dusty-pink tubular flowers from spring into summer. This Channel Islands endemic grows into a relaxed, mounding shrub about 4 to 5 feet tall, with all the elegance of a Mediterranean herb and none of the fussiness.
Fragrant Pitcher Sage thrives in full sun to part shade in lean, well-drained soils and shrugs off summer drought once established. It's deeply deer-resistant, beloved by hummingbirds and other pollinators, and adds wonderful evergreen structure to dry gardens. Hardy in zones 8-10, it appreciates a light pruning after bloom to keep its shape.
Plant it in a hot, dry border with other California natives like buckwheat, ceanothus, and salvias, or use it to soften the edge of a path where its scent will reward every passerby. A graceful, fragrant treasure for the water-wise garden.
Original: $14.99
-65%$14.99
$5.25
Description
Aromatic, sculptural, and seriously underused, Lepechinia fragrans is a California-native shrub with the kind of quiet presence that steals the show. Soft, gray-green felted leaves release a heady, sage-like fragrance the moment they're brushed, while slender stems carry long parades of pale lavender to dusty-pink tubular flowers from spring into summer. This Channel Islands endemic grows into a relaxed, mounding shrub about 4 to 5 feet tall, with all the elegance of a Mediterranean herb and none of the fussiness.
Fragrant Pitcher Sage thrives in full sun to part shade in lean, well-drained soils and shrugs off summer drought once established. It's deeply deer-resistant, beloved by hummingbirds and other pollinators, and adds wonderful evergreen structure to dry gardens. Hardy in zones 8-10, it appreciates a light pruning after bloom to keep its shape.
Plant it in a hot, dry border with other California natives like buckwheat, ceanothus, and salvias, or use it to soften the edge of a path where its scent will reward every passerby. A graceful, fragrant treasure for the water-wise garden.
